Cicadas fly into Will County outdoor summertime programming

The summer of 2024 promises to be noisy in Will County.

“Broods” of 17-year and 13-year cicadas will emerge simultaneously, according to a news release from the Forest Preserve District of Will County.

“That hasn’t happened since 1803 and won’t happen again until 2245,” according to the release.

Bill Riordon, executive director of the Lockport Township Park District, said that other than being noisy, the cicadas won’t affect summer programming too much.

Obviously, the park district will monitor the newly planted trees, but Dellwood Park has too many to monitor them all, Riordon said.

We want them to understand what’s going on out in the woods and their life cycles. Obviously, they’re going to hear and see them. So we’re bringing them right into our program and [will] try to quell any fears and just talk about why they’re here.”

—  Katie Zaban, manager of Pilcher Park Nature Center

In the preschool and Pee Wee camps, the plan is to gently introduce children to the cicadas in order to reduce their fear of them, Riordon said.

The park district has no defined plan for the older kids yet.

“There’s plenty of cicadas out, so they’ll be exploring them, I’m sure,” Riordon said. “We’re just trying to make a few fun things out of it.”

Pilcher Park features cicadas in summer programs

The Joliet Park District’s Pilcher Park Nature Center has plenty of cicada-themed programming planned for this summer, especially in June, said Katie Zaban, manager of Pilcher Park Nature Center.

Programming ranges from passive displays to incorporating the cicadas into field trips, stories, activities and crafts, Zaban said.

“All of our summer camps that we offer for a variety of ages will try to incorporate cicadas,” Zaban said. “We want them to understand what’s going on out in the woods and their life cycles. Obviously, they’re going to hear and see them. So we’re bringing them right into our program and [will] try to quell any fears and just talk about why they’re here.”

For instance, the pages from a book about cicadas for young children will be spread on the trees, Zaban said, making for a unique story walk. That will be paired with a cicada crown craft, she said. Children can color a cicada picture, glue the picture to a strip of paper and then wear the entire piece as a crown.

A large, passive, cicada-themed display will include facts and photos about cicadas and a realistic closeup of a cicada in action, Zaban said. The facts will include differences between annual cicadas and periodical cicadas. Zaban said she crafted the cicada in the display.

“I made a tree out of butcher paper, and I glued old exoskeletons onto the tree as if it were a tree in nature when the cicadas come out of the ground,” Zaban said.

Youth programming also will include crafts using cicada exoskeletons to make glittery jewelry, Zaban said.

Obviously, anyone who is afraid of the exoskeletons won’t have to touch them or make something from them, Zaban said. But Pilcher Park Nature Center is a nature center, and activities reflect that, she said.

“So why not incorporate a real-life experience into the programs we’re offering?” Zaban said.

The celebration of cicadas isn’t limited to the youth.

To help people commemorate the “summer of the cicada,” the Forest Preserve District of Will County Commemorate is selling a variety of cicada-themed T-shirts.

For details and to buy T-shirts, visit outsiderthreads.com.